Former Pilot Took Flight Above London On Jetpack That Could Go 10,000 ft After Completion

Posted On October 7, 2016April 27, 2018

Posted By Amit Samaiyar

Former Pilot Took Flight Above London On Jetpack That Could Go 10,000 ft After Completion: David Mayman wore a jetpack, the dream of every sci-fi and wildest fiction lover and took a flight above River Thames in East London like ‘a real-life Iron Man’. In this longest trial run he went up to 120 ft and stayed there for four minute wearing the turbine jet engine-powered JB-10 jetpack.

Former Pilot Took Flight Above London On Jetpack That Could Go 10,000 ft After Completion

He told media that the finished product will have the capacity to go up to 10,000 ft and could travel for 100 miles an hour. The version he flown in is powered by mini version of what you’d find on a jumbo jet.

To develop commercially viable electric jetpack he has started a crowdfunding campaign targeting £300,000. He also said that the commercial electric version will be available in 2019 which will cost nearly £1,75,000, which is an expensive deal.

The former pilot wore his own designed jetpack and took off the Royal Victoria terminal of the Emirates Air Line cable car station by River Thames and completed two trips towards ExCel Centre.

“This is for the City boys who grew up in the 70s and 80s and dreamt of being a real-life Iron Man,” said Lucy Sharp, the communication director at Seedrs Investment. Seedrs is the company which is running the campaign to raise funds for electric jetpack.

“He’s done over 400 test flights and they’ve all gone smoothly but it is jet fuel on his back so it can be dangerous.”

Mr Mayman said: “People will be flying with these on, take my word for it. It’s the same as if you looked back to 1903, when people would have said nobody would be flying in aeroplanes.”

“Then the Wright Brothers took to the skies and the rest is history.”

The Australian firmer pilot has worked on the project for more than a decade. Previously he flown close to the Monaco and Statue of Liberty in New York City.

Engineer Bennie Van De Goor told media “Mr Mayman’s passion for a long time has been to develop a small man-carrying vehicle that he can put in his car, take out and fly”.

David Mayman is also talking to US Navy, so these jetpacks could be used beyond commercial use. Considering the price, it won’t be viable to start manufacturing unit expecting big commercial response but if Navy showed interest then this project will be huge. And who knows, might become the future of domestic transportation with reduced cost.